Translating the French names of the QMJHL teams Junior Hockey News

As a non-French speaker I have always been curious as to the meaning of the names of certain teams in the QMJHL. I have decided to look these names up and share what I have learned. Disclaimer: All information comes directly from Wikipedia.

Drummondville Voltigeurs the team is named after a regiment of soldiers that fought during the War of 1812. The Canadian Voltigeurs were a unit made up of French Speaking members. The word Voltigeur translates to "vaulter" or "leaper".

The Gatineau Olympiques were formally known as the Hull Olympiques before Hull was amalgamated into the city of Gatineau in 2002. The Val-d'Or Foreurs literally translates to "Valley of Gold Drillers". There are numerous mining and exploration operations in the area that drive a lot of the economy.

The Bai-Comeau Drakkar play out of Baie-Comeau. The name Drakkar translates to "Viking Ship." The Chicoutimi Sagueneens name is derived from a series of amalgamations between neighbouring cities. The city of Chicoutimi was amalgamated with several other cities in order to form the city of Sanguenay. The team is based out of the bourough of Chicoutimi and their name references the wider city that they are a part of.

The Quebec Remparts are named after the Ramparts of Quebec City. The Ramparts are the only remaining fortified city walls in North America that are north of Mexico. The Rimouski Oceanic (Sidney Crosby's Major Junior team) name means ocean.

The Shawinigan Cataractes name has an interesting etymology. Cataractes is the plural of Cataracte which translates to English as Cataract which means "powerful waterfall." It's derived from a latin word Cataracta meaning "waterfall." The Shawinigan Falls are a prominent attraction in the City of Shawinigan.

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